1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of animal leashes in general, and in particular to a leash having an adjustable length handle loop.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,861,547; 3,752,127; 4,763,609; 5,709,172; and 5,915,336, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse adjustable loop leash construction.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical adjustable loop leash construction which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which employs the least number of structural components to function in the exact same manner as the more structurally complicated prior art constructions.
While all adjustable loop leash constructions function in the same basic manner, their ultimate cost to the consumer is normally predicated on the number of structural components involved, the time required to manufacture the individual components, as well as the time involved in assembling the components into the finished adjustable loop leash constructions.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among pet owners for a new and improved adjustable loop leash construction that can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of the more structurally complex adjustable loop leash constructions while providing all of the benefits thereof, and the provision of such a construction is the stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the adjustable loop leash construction that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general, a leash member, a pair of snap swivel members, and a plurality of enlarged grommet members.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the leash member comprises an elongated one piece strap element fabricated from a single strip of material, preferably fabricated from leather or nylon cloth. The opposite ends of the strap element are formed into closed loops adapted to engage the ring portions of the pair of snap ring swivel members.
In addition, the plurality of grommet members are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the strap element and spaced from the sides thereof. Each of the snap ring swivel members can selectively engage one of the plurality of grommet members to form an adjustable length loop on either end of the leash member.